Vimy Ridge & Flanders Fields tour from Lille: Canadian WWI sites

Walk Canadian trenches at Vimy, then stand for the Last Post at Ypres

A guided battlefield tour from Lille through Canadian World War I sites in France and Belgium, including Vimy Ridge, Hill 145, the Canadian Passchendaele Memorial, and Tyne Cot Cemetery, ending with the daily Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres. The tour runs 9 to 12 hours with hotel pickup included. A guide speaks English, French or Dutch depending on the group.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Vimy3h
2. Tyne Cot Cemetery30m
3. Essex Farm Cemetery15m
4. Menin Gate Memorial1h

Visit Canadian WWI battlefields and memorials

• Stand at Vimy memorial and trenches
• Explore Grange Tunnel and visitor centre
• Drive past Ploegsteert Memorial and Hill 63
• Drive through Messines battlefields
• Stand at Hill 62 or Mount Sorrel
• Visit Frezenberg site
• Visit Tyne Cot Military Cemetery
• See Brooding Soldier Memorial
• Visit Essex Farm Cemetery
• Explore Ypres main square and Cloth Hall
• Attend Last Post ceremony at Menin Gate

The experience

Vimy Ridge is the centerpiece. You'll stand at the memorial, walk through both Canadian and German trenches, descend into the Grange Tunnel, and visit the visitor centre. From there the route moves through the broader Flanders battlefields: Ploegsteert Memorial and Hill 63, the Messines sector where fighting peaked in June 1917, Hill 62 and Mount Sorrel where Canadian troops fought in spring 1916, and Frezenberg where the Patricia's regiment nearly ceased to exist in May 1915. The guide anchors each stop in what happened there and why it mattered to the Canadians who fought.

The second half turns toward the largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery at Tyne Cot, the Brooding Soldier Memorial at St. Julien where gas was first used, and Essex Farm Cemetery where John McRae wrote "In Flanders Fields." You'll have free time in Ypres to walk the Cloth Hall and Cathedral before the tour ends at the Menin Gate for the daily Last Post ceremony. A ritual that has run every evening since 1928. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Lille or Arras, lunch, and transport in an air-conditioned minivan are included.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Lille or Arras.
• transport in an air-conditioned minivan.
• a guide in English, French or Dutch.
• lunch.
• bottled water throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except TuesdayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Under 7: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French and Dutch

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 5 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcome

Operated by Ploegsteert Sector Battlefield Experience

Is this one for you?Pick this tour if you speak English, French or Dutch and want a guide explaining Canadian military history while standing at Vimy's trenches, Hill 145, and Tyne Cot Cemetery: all covered in one full day with transport included from Lille or Arras.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, French and Dutch.

What exactly will I see at Vimy Ridge itself?

Vimy Ridge holds the Canadian memorial, the preserved trenches from both sides, the Grange Tunnel that soldiers dug underground, and a visitor centre with exhibits on the 1917 battle. You walk through the actual ground where the fighting happened.

Does the tour include the Last Post ceremony in Ypres?

Yes. The Last Post is the final stop of the day, held every evening under the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres. It's a short ceremony that has taken place since 1928 to honor the fallen.

Is there time to explore Ypres on my own?

Yes. You'll have free time in the town centre to walk around, see the Cloth Hall and Cathedral, and explore at your own pace before the Last Post ceremony.

How long is the full tour?

The tour runs 9 to 12 hours from pickup in Lille or Arras through the return to your hotel, including stops at multiple cemeteries and memorials, lunch, and the ceremony in Ypres.